1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spinning reel for fishing and, in more particular, to a spinning reel for fishing which includes a fishing line length measuring device for measuring the length of a fishing line played out from a spool.
2. Description of the Related Art
As means for measuring the play-out length (flying distance) of a fishing line played out from a spinning reel for fishing, conventionally, there is known a fishing line length measuring device which is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Sho 63-185515 and Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei 1-77905.
In the fishing line length measuring device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 63-185515, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a rotary shaft 3 is mounted on the front end of spool 1 such that it can be rotated in a direction of an arrow A, an optical sensor 7 is mounted to a drag nut 5, a fishing line is hitched round the rotary shaft 3 when the fishing line is played out, and the rotation of the rotary shaft 3 is detected by the optical sensor 7 as the fishing line is played out, thereby measuring the played-out length of the fishing line.
Then, in the fishing line length measuring device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 1-77905, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a counter 13 including an input wheel 11 is mounted on a rotor 9, an annular power transmission surface 16 which can be in contact with the input wheel 11 and allows the input wheel 11 to rotate about its own axis and revolve about the shaft of the rotor 9 when the rotor 9 is rotated is provided in the front portion of a reel main body 15, and the number of revolutions of the rotor 9 when the fishing line is wound round the reel main body 15 is detected by the counter 13, thereby measuring the played-out length of the fishing line.
However, in the former conventional fishing line length measuring device, since the rotary shaft 3 is rotated by the fishing line when it is played out, great resistance is applied to the fishing line, which makes it impossible to play out the fishing line a long distance. Moreover, if the fishing line is played out suddenly, then the fishing line can be cut off.
Also, generally, in this type of spinning reel, the rotor is not rotated when the fishing line is played out. Therefore, in the latter conventional fishing line length measuring device which measures the length of the fishing line by detecting the number of revolutions of the rotor 9 by use of the counter 13, the play-out distance of the fishing line cannot be measured when the fishing line is played out.
Further, even when the fishing line length is measured when it is wound, since the diameters of fishing lines vary according to the kinds of the fishing lines, the fishing line length cannot be measured accurately simply by detecting the number of revolutions of the rotor 9.